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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · bank · court · shower · arm · bark · foot · can

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. court — of a king
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bank — for money
  6. can — a tin
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bark — to shout
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. can — a tin
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. shower — to wash
  14. bank — of a river
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bank — for money
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. court — for sport
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. foot — a measure
  23. shower — rain
  24. can — to be able to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com